Method of accessing and assembling parts in an assembly apparatus incorporating mobile robots

Abstract

An assembly (machining) apparatus and method for performing assembly or machining of an article. A first article supply device including a plurality of supply devices for supplying articles and a first robot for picking up the articles from the first article supply device to perform the assembly or machining are paired as an assembly unit, and a plurality of the assembly units are aligned. The apparatus also includes a buffer device for adjusting a difference in article assembly or machining time between the plurality of assembly units.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of accessing and assembling articles in an assembly apparatus including a shuttle carrying a robot, an assembly jig, and a camera, with the shuttle travelling along a shuttle base having a track, replaceable first article suppliers located on one side of the shuttle base for supplying first articles, replaceable second article suppliers located on the other side of the shuttle base for supplying second articles, and a controller for controlling the apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: aligning the first articles on the first article suppliers;   securing the second articles on a strip of tape located on the second article suppliers;   photographing the first and second articles with the camera to obtain image information;   traversing the robot along the track to pick up the first and second articles based on the image information obtained in the photographing step; and   assembling a predetermined assembly using the picked up first and second articles.   
     
     
       2. A method of accessing and assembling parts in an assembly apparatus including a shuttle carrying a robot and an assembly jig and travelling along a shuttle base having a track, a plurality of parts supply sources aligned along the track on at least one side of the shuttle base, a controller for controlling the apparatus, and a checking system attached to the shuttle for checking the alignment state of the parts, said method comprising the steps of: traversing the shuttle along the track so that the robot sequentially accesses a plurality of parts disposed in a parts supply box in each parts supply source;   checking an image of the parts in the parts supply box in a next aligned parts supply source to determine the alignment state of each part;   storing the alignment state of each part to be picked up by the robot in the next pick up operation;   controlling the robot to pick up a part whose alignment state was previously determined; and   assembling a predetermined assembly with the accessed parts.